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Six Favorite Children’s Authors for Your Home Library

I love our living room. It is in the middle of the house with four interior walls. What this means in practical terms is plenty of room for bookshelves. Ikea anyone?

It has taken me several years of trial and error to find books worthy of our family library shelf space. I am a firm believer in only having the best books on our shelves. Books we come back to read again and again. Books we share with our friends because they are just that good. Books I want my kids to take with them when they have a home of their own buy for their own bookshelves someday.

One strategy I use when choosing books to include in our library is building a collection by authors we love. Here are six of our family’s favorite authors.

Shirley Hughes is an author and illustrator of over 70 books. Many of them are children’s picture books, but also a good number of chapter books. Even though she has was since 1960, I had never heard of her before adulthood. Our first introduction to this marvelous author was with her most loved book, Dogger.

Shirley Hughes has spent a lifetime observing children. In a video on her website, she explains how the observation of real children inspired her illustrations. The body language and facial expressions are remarkably lifelike. I find myself smiling at her characters as I do my own children. Her pictures tell just as much of the story as her text.

The Big Alfie Out of Doors Storybook is my four-year old’s favorite. We especially love the story about camping out with dad and having a surprise visitor in the middle of the night. We read it again and again.

If you have yet to discover the joy of Shirley Hughes’ stories and illustrations I encourage you to check them out next time you are at the library. Perhaps you will be like us and simply have to search out all of her beautiful creations and add them to your home library!

2. Bill Peet

Another children’s author I discovered as an adult is Bill Peet. One day, another mom at the library noticed I had picked up one of his books.

“We love those books,” she said with a smile. It turns out; we do too!

Bill Peet worked as an animator for Walt Disney, drawing scenes from favorites such as Peter Pan and Sleeping Beauty. Later on, he was responsible for the entire script of One Hundred and One Dalmatians and The Sword in the Stone.

The whole time he was working for Walt Disney, however, he dreamed of writing children’s stories of his own. He carried many of his characters and stories on sketchpads and in his head for years!

The desire to want to show children at a certain time and a certain place gave her vision for her regional stories which include, Strawberry Girl, Houseboat Girl, Texas Tomboy, and so many others that forever entomb the experiences of the American child. I love the realistic relational drama. Lenski deals with real life in a straight forward, hopeful manner.

If you are on the fence about beginning one of Lenski’s books, hop on over! The dialog takes a bit to master, but the stories and delight from your children will make it well worth your effort.

Grace Lin is the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants. Her mother and herself are featured in her first book. She has two sisters who were very offended that they were not mentioned in The Ugly Vegetables. They made her promise to include them in future books about their family experiences.

Once Grace Lin was on my radar, I began to notice that she was the author of other favorites such as Dim Sum for Everyone! and Kite Flying. Her illustrations are vivid and exciting. I love the interesting textures and bright colors of her drawings. Each page makes me feel like I want to jump into the story!

5. James Herriot

James Herriot is the pen name of James Alfred Wight, who wrote the All Creatures Great and Small series as well as several picture books for children. His veterinary practice spanned the great changes of the 20th century — from working on mostly large farm animals with ancient remedies to mostly small animal practice with the new antibiotics, Wight certainly had plenty of life experiences to draw from.

It is nice to think of All Creatures Great and Smallas an autobiographical work, but the truth is, it is only loosely based on his life in Yorkshire. Even so, the picture books and novel series have been a delight to children and adults for nigh on 50 years.

As for the full length novels, they are very appropriate as a family read alouds, as you may want to edit some of the “strong” British language, or for older children interested in the challenge. Full of sweet stories of a country vet lovingly caring for both the animals and farmers in his practice, and his family.

6. Lloyd Alexander

Lloyd Alexander is yet another children’s author I did not discover until I had children. His works are best saved for pre-teens and teens. While they are not hard to read, the content will mean the most to older kids.

Alexander wanted to be a writer and worked to go to college. However, he left at the start of WWII to join the army. He had hoped he would experience more adventure and learn more than he had in college.

While adventure was not forthcoming, he did spend time in Wales. The castles, stories, language, and beauty of this country later inspired his most beloved works, The Chronicles of Prydain.

I loved this series. I loved that a fantasy book written in the 20th century felt so much like a fairy tale. I loved the characters who grew in stature, spirit, wisdom, and humility through the stories. I felt like I did too.

Alexander wrote many other books for children set with different cultural backdrops. The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jenis considered one of his finest works. A lovely tale from the far east, Prince Jen is sent on a quest and discovers his true destiny. The First Two Lives of Lukas-Kashastarts with a bang and doesn’t stop. Selfish Lukas-Kasha, who won’t work, suddenly finds himself in a strange land with no friends. Again, the main character grows and becomes more of a person than he was at the beginning.

The Iron Ring is perfect for a book group discussion with other kids or just your family. Those who like mythology from different parts of the world will want to add this book to their home library shelves.

Jessica Lawton is a homeschool mom to five fantastically fabulous children. Her hobbies include book collecting, knitting, reading, and birdwatching. While teacher or writer were never on her list of Things to Be When I Grow Up, she curiously finds herself doing both, and enjoying it. This only strengthens her firmly held belief that God has better plans for us than we have for ourselves.